Moodbidri, Dec 5: The state high court, through an order issued on Tuesday December 4, quashed a caste abuse allegation made against Dr Mohan Alva, chairman of Alva's Education Foundation here and three others. The court also dismissed the hearing of the case in a subordinate court based on this complaint.

Sanjeeva, secretary of Koraga Okkoota, had filed a complaint at Moodbidri police station, duly naming Dr Alva and three others. The accused had approached the high court with petitions, seeking to annul the complaint made against them. The high court bench presided over by Justice Ashok G Nijagannavar, which upheld the petitions, passed the said order.

Sanjeeva said that in the 'Nudisiri' procession which was taken out on November 14, 2014 here, Koraga community was insulted publicly for wearing their attire and posing like them, a behaviour which was deriding the Koraga community. He had sought to apply provisions of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (prevention of atrocities) Act 1989.

The court said that provisions of the said act can be invoked only if a person who is a member of scheduled caste or tribe is publicly abused purposefully. Noting that such behaviour was not observed in the applicants in this case, the bench of the high court quashed the first information report and court case.